Historical perspective of the legalisation of keeping pet rabbits in Western Australia

There is no record of the pet shop industry lobbying to allow the keeping rabbits, only that some shops were keen to supply before the regulations came into effect.

All keeping of rabbits was banned in the 1950s except for zoos and research institutions, possibly as a consequence of the formation of the "Vermin and Noxious Weeds Destruction Board" and associated legislation - which later became the Agriculture Protection Board (APB) and Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act.

The basis for the ban on commercial and pet rabbit keeping adopted as a uniform position by all State Agriculture Ministers was that it: A. would lead to a lessened resolve on the part of farmers to control wild rabbits while commercial rearing was in place. B. would lead to pressure for the introduction of a vaccine against myxomatosis in commercial ventures which may affect the disease as a rabbit control mechanism for wild rabbit populations.

In WA in 1978 a policy was adopted to allow the keeping of one sterilized pet rabbit per household under "special circumstances", very few of these permits were issued.

Following many requests to from the public for permission to keep pet rabbits and many requests to allow commercial rabbit farming, in May 1984 the Chief Executive Officer of the APB recommended changes to the regulations on keeping rabbits both as pets and for commercial purposes. A detailed discussion paper supporting deregulation was presented to the APB in September 1985.

The content of the CEO's paper broadly described the previously existing policy to be based on the perception that domestic rabbits would breed with wild type and result in a type which posed a greater threat than the existing wild rabbits, scientific literature did not support this notion. If cross breeding did take place the genetic material responsible for the characteristics of the domestic breeds would be "swamped" by wild type genes. Domestic rabbits were unlikely to survive due to their behavior, markings and predisposition to injuries and disease. The keeping of wild type rabbits as pets already takes place, the incidence of this and the social friction that confiscation of these pets causes particularly in the metro area would be reduced if domestic breeds were allowed as pets. By allowing domestic breeds the incidence and likelihood of wild type pet rabbits escaping to form colonies would be reduced. Commercial breeds of rabbit are larger and faster growing than wild type rabbits, it is unlikely that wild type rabbits would be used in a commercial venture in addition this could be banned. The CEO concludes that there is no sound basis for the ban on keeping rabbits, it is difficult to satisfactorily answer enquiries from the public which creates a credibility problem for the APB and its staff.

Pet rabbits were allowed to be kept in the Perth metro area as a result of a APB decision taken on 29/10/1985 and approved by the Minister for Agriculture. The changed regulations were gazetted on 30/5/86. Subsequently, this was further relaxed to allow the keeping of pet rabbits in the whole state in 1988.

Note- no representation was made on behalf of the pet shop industry to allow the keeping of pet rabbits. The only communication with the industry on record relates to the marketing of rabbits prior to the formalization of regulations allowing rabbits as pets. Pet shops were warned not to sell rabbits prior to regulations coming into being.

On the 16/11/ 87 the board approved the secure keeping of commercial breeds with specifications on minimum number of rabbits and facilities, license fees etc. Minimum 200 breeding does minimum license $200. Keeping in facilities / conditions in accordance with code of practice for husbandry of rabbits. Applicants were assessed for suitability, only persons able to demonstrate high degree of husbandry to be licensed. Applicants were also advised that there would be no vaccine available against myxomatosis and that secure insect proof housing would be required.

1988 commercial rabbit growers expressed opposition to any reduction in the permitted number of rabbits to be kept and the lessening of restrictions, fearing unauthorized commercial breeding may result.

In 1993, following a downturn in the commercial rabbit industry, the APB altered the minimum number of rabbits allowed under the license conditions to 50 breeding does with a commensurate license of $50 per 50 breeding doe unit. The intention of these changes was to reduce the imposts on a developing industry.

There has been requests from the Western Australian Rabbit Council Inc. (WARCI) to allow the keeping of numbers in excess of two per household to allow breeding by pet rabbit fanciers and the APB has agreed to the idea however as yet there has been no change to the regulations.

Note: This article was supplied by Garry Gray, Technical Officer, Vertebrate Pest Research Services, Western Australia

Rabbit Information Service update:The regulations limiting the number of pet rabbits per household in Western Australia changed in 2001 after the above article was written. Please read the press release at Keeping pet rabbits in Western Australia to see the update.


Click here to return to refering page